Electrically operated toy casting machine



Nov. 13, 1962 H. 1. RAPAPORT ELECTRICALLY OPERATED TOY CASTING MACHINE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 3. 1960 WWW 21%TORwzd' 1% I I1 'luullh Nov.13, 1962 H. l. RAPAPORT 3,063,109

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED TOY CASTING MACHINE Filed March 3. 1960 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Uni d ate Pat t 3,063,109 ELECTRICALLY OPERATED TOYCASTING MACHINE Herman I. Rapaport, 1826 S. Washtenaw Ave., Chicago,Ill.

Filed Mar. 3, 1960, Ser. No. 12,619 1 Claim. (6i. 22-49) This inventionrelates to an electrically operated toy casting machine.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an electricallyoperated toy casting machine provided with means for heating the castingmaterial and for controlling the discharge of the casting material tothe die plates wherein the objects are to be formed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a selfcontained toycasting device which has safety features such that the child playingwith said device is protected against injury, even though operating withheated molten material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toy casting device inwhich any number of ditferent casting die plates may be interchangeablyused for the purpose of forming any number of different objects,depending upon the die plates selected. A i

Another object ofthis 'nvention is to provide a toy casting device foruse by young children in absolute safety. y

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view with a portion in section.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan vie FIGURE 4 is a View taken on lines 44 of FIG-URE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view of one of the die plates, and

FIGURE 6 is a view of the east toy figure. The unit includes a basemember generally designated by the numeral 10, having a hollow interior.The front wall of the base has an elongated opening 12 for the purposeof slideably receiving a tray generally designated by thenumeral 14. Theinterior of the base is provided with a pair of L-shaped rails 16secured to the bottom of the base toserve as guide members for theremovable tray 14.

Suitably secured to the top of the base member is a frame generallydesignated by the numeral 18, which is formed generally of channel shapein cross-section and comprises a pair of side members 20 and a topcrossmember 22, all suitably joined together or integrally formed. Theside members of said frame are suitably secured to the top of the base10 by inwardly extending ears 24 (FIGURE 4) passing through suitableopenings in the top of the base, although it will be understood that itmay be secured in any other well-known manner.

Approximately intermediate the height of the frame member 13 is across-member generally designated by the numeral 26, which is channelshape in cross-section. Secured on said cross-member 26 centrallythereof is a melting chamber generally designated by the numeral 28, inwhich the casting material is adapted to be heated to form the moltenmetal.

The melting chamber 28 is formed of an outer shell 30 having acylindrical wall 31 and a bottom 32, the bottom of Which is permanentlysecured to the crossmember 26. The bottom 3-2 is provided with acircular opening 34 positioned forwardly of the cross-member 26.

3,053,139 Patented Nov. 13, 1962 "ice Suitably supported and securedinside the bottom 32 of the outer shell is a conventional heatingelement generally designated by the numeral 36 which is electricallyconnected to a conventional male outlet 38 secured to and extendingrearwardly of the outer shell. A conventional female plug 39 connectedto a source of current supply is detachably secured in the outlet 38.The male outlet 38 may extend from the side of the outer shell insteadof from the rear so as to be parallel and in alinement with thecross-member 26.

An inner shell 49 of substantially the shape of the outer shell but ofsmaller dimension is adapted to nest within the outer shell and providea space therebetween. A flange 42 on the inner shell seals the spaceopenings. The inner shell has a discharge opening at the bottom thereofto which is fixedly connected a discharge spout 44 which comprises atubular member which terminates in a tapered end outlet 46. The tubularmember forming the discharge spout 44 extends through the opening 34 inthe bottom of the outer shell 30 and extends downwardly thereof.

To control the flow of the molten material from the melting chamber 28there is provided a depressible plunger generally designated by thenumeral 48.

, Secured to the top cross-member 22 of the frame is an invertedL-shaped bracket 50 having a suitable opening through which extends therod 52 of the depressible plunger 48. The lower portion of said rodextends into the interior of the discharge spout 44 and the terminal ofsaid rod is tapered complementary to the taper of the discharge spout toform a valve 53 for closing the out let end of the discharge spout. Therod 52 supports a pin 54 and a coil spring 56, which spring normallymaintains the plunger 43 in depressed position so that the valve member53 closes the outlet of the discharge spout 44. The upper end of the rodis provided with a handle member 58.

As is obvious, the valve member 53 is normally in its closed position toclose the discharge outlet of the discharge spout 44. When it is desiredto discharge the molten material from the melting chamber 28, the rod 52is elevated against the compressed spring 56 so that the material willflow through the outlet end 46 of the spout and upon release of the rodthe valve 53 will again close the discharge outlet. to prevent anyfurther discharge.

The top member 22 of the frame has an opening through which extends arod 60. The rod is provided with a handle 61. Secured to the lower endof the rod is a dome-shaped cover 62 provided with a plurality of spacedopenings 64 therein. The cover need not, however, have openings. A coilspring 66 surrounds the lower end of rod 60 and is positioned betweenthe top cross-member 22 and the cover 62 for the purpose of normallymaintaining the cover in closed position over the melting chamber 28.Thus, when the material is being heated and formed into molten materialinsidethe melting chamber 28, the cover 62 is in closed position, asshown in the drawings, so as to prevent a child from inserting a fingerinto the melting chamber 28 and/or otherwise injuring himself.

For the purpose of inserting the solid pieces of material for melting,the cover 62 may be readily raised by lifting the rod 69. The cover isprovided with an enlarged opening 68 through which the rod 52 passes.Thus, the rod 52 or the cover 62 may be operated without effecting eachother.

Secured to the base It) and extending inwardly of one side 20 of theframe member to closely adjacent the center of the frame is a hollowbody 70, to the outer end of which is rigidly secured a stationary jawmember '72 which is a channel shaped member.

Secured to the base and extending inwardly from the other side of theframe member to approximately a distance closely adjacent the center ofthe frame member is another hollow body 74. Rotatably supported withinthe hollow body 74 is a threaded screw shaft 76, the inner end of whichextends through a threaded bushing 78 secured adjacent the end wall 80of the hollow body 74. The inner end of the screw shaft 76 extendsthrough a suitable opening in the end wall 80 and has suitably attachedto it by a fitting 82, a jaw 84 similar in shape to jaw 72. The outerend of screw shaft 76 extends through an opening in the side member 20and has a wing nut 86 for manual engagement.

The two jaws 72 and 84 face each other. The jaw 84 is movable inrelation to the stationary jaw by manual rotation of the screw shaft 76through the wing nut 86 on the screw shaft 76. It will be seen that thedischarge spout 44 is in vertical alinement between the two aws.

The two matching die plates designated by the numerals 38 and 90 arepositioned between the two jaw members and are adapted during thecasting operation to be held in locked position by means of the twojaws. As illustrated, each of the die plates is provided with alaterally extending handle 91 and 92 respectively, and the top of eachof the plates has a semi-circular opening 93 and 94 respectivley,communicating with the interior of the die plate, so that when theplates 88 and 90 are together an enlarged entrance or inlet opening isprovided at the top for the flow of the material therethrough into theinterior cavity formed between the plates. As shown, the two matchingdie plates have three inlet openings at the top since the plates shownare adapted to form three different miniature figures; however, plateswith a larger number of die cavities and a correspondingly larger numberof openings for more figures can be used.

, As the metal is heated in the melting chamber 28 and the moltenmaterial is discharged by operation of the depressible plunger 48, thematerial will flow into the cavity provided by the plates 88 and 90through the inlet opening at the top thereof to form a toy figure likethat shown in FIGURE 6. To form other toy figures in said plates, theadjustable jaw 90 is then adjusted to permit shifting of the two platesforwardly, like that shown in FIGURE 1, so that the spout 44 is inalinement with the second inlet opening of the matching die plates andthe molten material is discharged into same. This is repeated with thethird inlet opening so that three different figures are formed by thetwo matching plates as shown. After the material between the plates hashardened to form the miniature figures, the plates may then be removedfrom between the jaws and separated for the removal of the finishedminiature toy figures.

By providing a large variety of different types of matching die plateslike that shown, an unlimited number and variety of toy figures may beformed. It will of course be understood that the toy figure formed ofthe molten material may be again melted in the melting chamber 28. Thetray 14 may be used for the purpose of storing the metal to be melted,as well as the die plates and coloring material which may be used forthe purpose of coloring the figures.

This invention provides a great deal of play value for a child and issafe in that the melting chamber is covered during operation of thedevice and there are no heating elements which come into contact withthe hands of the child. In conventional casting methods a pot or ladleof molten material is picked up and poured, whereas with the presentinvention the molten material is supported in a stationary machine andflows therefrom through a spout to die plates stationarily held by themachine. This is a very important feature and enables children to usethis machine with perfect safety. Children who would not or could notuse the conventional casting methods can new cast by using the presentinvention.

it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be madefrom the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of theappended claim.

I claim:

A self-contained portable toy casting machine comprising a base adaptedto be removably positioned on a table or the like, said base having asubstantially flat top surface, a frame supported on said base, anelectrically operated melting chamber for receiving the material and forheating same to a molten condition, said melting chamber being supportedon said frame above said base and in spaced relation to said base, adischarge outlet for said melting chamber, a discharge spoutcommunicating with said discharge outlet and extending downwardly belowthe melting chamber, means for controlling the discharge of the materialto said discharge spout, said means including a spring biased plungersupported on said frame to normally close said discharge spout, saidplunger adapted to be manually raised to open the discharge spout todischarge the molten material, said electrically operated meltingchamber provided with an electric outlet disposed so as not to interferewith said discharge spout, a cover on said melting chamber to normallycover the top of said melting chamber when said melting chamber is beingheated, means engaging said cover and positioned so that it may bemanually engaged remotely from said melting chamber to raise said coverand uncover said melting chamber, means for supporting die plates on thefiat top surface of said base below said discharge spout so that themolten material may be received by the die plates directly from saiddischarge spout, a pair of clamping members for clamping said die plateswhile supported on the fiat top surface of said base, and manual controlmeans for operating at least one of said clamping members, said manualcontrol means positioned away from said die plates.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS757,720 Bijur Apr. 19, 1904 1,022,910 Whitney Apr. 9, 1912 1,034,970Brown Aug. 6, 1912 1,839,106 Loth Dec. 29, 193i

